What is Class 12 chemical kinetics?

In India’s Class 12 Chemistry (CBSE), “Chemical Kinetics” is a focused unit that teaches you to quantify reaction rates and interpret what controls them. The official syllabus covers: average and instantaneous rate; factors affecting rate (concentration, temperature, catalysts); order and molecularity; rate law and the specific rate constant; integrated rate equations and half-life for zero- and first-order reactions; an elementary collision theory introduction; activation energy; and the Arrhenius equation. Assessment typically tests definitions, numerical problems (integrated rate laws, half-life), graph interpretation, and brief mechanism ideas.

For study, the NCERT textbook chapter provides step-by-step derivations, solved examples, and practice problems aligned with board exams. To master the chapter, (1) memorize the shape and straight-line tests for integrated rate-law plots (zero-order: [A] vs t; first-order: ln[A] vs t), (2) practice half-life calculations (e.g., t₁/₂ = 0.693/k for first order), and (3) learn to extract Ea from Arrhenius plots. Working a few past-paper numericals builds speed and accuracy, and linking the math to everyday situations—like drug shelf life or food spoilage—makes the formulas stick.